6.1b ERMUSR 05-14-2024Elk River _ -
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
FROM:
ERMU Commission
Sara Youngs — Administrations Director
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
May 14, 2024
6.1b
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• Office walk-in traffic for April consisted of 127 customers, averaging 32 customers per
week over the -week period.
• ERMU red tag notification count for April under the Cold Weather Rule.
o Cycle 2 — 2 red tag notifications and 4 disconnections.
o Cycle 3 —11 red tag notifications and 7 disconnections.
o Cycle 4 —13 red tag notifications and 4 disconnections.
o Cycle 1— 31 red tag notifications.
The Cold Weather Rule ended on April 30, 2024. Customers will no longer receive an
additional notice that they are subject to disconnection; they will receive one past due
reminder and an automated phone call that they are subject to disconnection for non-
payment. Once a customer is disconnected, they must pay their full past due balance for
services to be restored.
• During the month of April 2024, the customer service team entered 58 payment
arrangements with customers. During April 2023 there were 40 payment arrangements.
• Currently there are five active residential solar photovoltaic projects planned or under
construction in the ERMU service territory.
• In the last 30 days, combined the level two chargers located downtown and in the
parking lot in front of ERMU had 71 sessions and provided customers with 1.01 MWh of
green energy.
• The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) team continues to meet weekly with
Allegiant, National Information Solutions Cooperative, and Core & Main to work
through, test, and implement new processes and procedures.
Page 1 of 2
215
• The credit and collections specialist is currently working on our Revenue Recapture
audit which ensures compliance with laws governing the program.
• The billing specialist shadowed Allegiant water technicians on a water meter exchange
on May 8. This provided her with an opportunity to build a relationship with Allegiant
technicians and gain a better understanding of the process to help answer customer
questions.
• Frontier Energy and ERMU's combined residential and commercial kWh savings through
period ending April 2024 are 560,902.29 which is 11% of our 2024 CIP kWh savings goal.
Rebate projects currently in progress with Frontier Energy are expected to yield an
additional estimated 3,023,902 kWh savings.
• At the end of April, residential and commercial Cross Connection Control program
testing notices were mailed to customers within billing cycles 1, 2, and 4. The notice
reviews ERMU's Cross Connection Control program which was created to identify and
help eliminate potential sources of contamination entering the public water system
and/or customer's properties. Residential backflow device testing is done free of charge
by an ERMU water staff representative. Commercial customers are required to have
their backflow prevention assemblies tested by a state certified backflow tester.
Attached is a copy of the notice letter sent to residential customers making them aware
of the program, as well as a door hanger communicating their results.
ATTACHMENTS:
Letter - Cross Connection Control Program - Testing Notice 2024
Door Hanger - Backflow Device - Testing Results 2024
Page 2 of 2
216
i=:--,
Elk River
Municipal Utilities
Cross Connection Control Program — Testing Notice
[MAILINGNAME]
[MAILINGADDRESS]
[MAILINGCITY,MAILINGSTATE,MAILINGZIPI]
Print Date: [DATE]
RE: (FACILITYNAME at [SERVICEADDRESSI] Reference #: [REFERENCENUMBER]
Dear Water Customer,
Elk River Municipal Utilities' (ERMU) Residential Cross Connection Control Program was created to
identify and help eliminate potential sources of contamination entering the public water system and/or
the water inside your home. Minnesota Plumbing Code Parts 603.5.23 through 603.5.23.4 requires
backflow assemblies to be tested upon installation and at least annually by an ASSE certified backflow
assembly tester to ensure their proper working order.
Our records indicate it is time for testing the pressure vacuum breaker backflow prevention assembly at
your home, which is tied to your irrigation system, to verify that it is operating within the
manufacturer's specifications. Improperly installed or malfunctioning backflow preventers on
underground irrigation systems could allow fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste, and other potentially
harmful substances to flow into the public water system or be drawn back into the home's drinking
water.
For your convenience, with the safety of our public water system as the highest priority, ERMU will
provide the testing at no cost to you. This free service is offered only to our residential customers and is
scheduled to begin May 1, 2024, weather permitting.
• You do not need to be home for the test to be completed.
• ERMU will need to be able to access your outdoor irrigation plumbing to complete the test (e.g.
fences unlocked). We do not need to access your irrigation controller.
• The water to your irrigation system must be turned ON, but not running its cycle.
• After testing, ERMU will leave a door hanger with your test results.
• If your assembly does not pass the test, you will be required to hire a certified plumber to
replace or rebuild your assembly at your cost.
If your assembly is not accessible for testing please contact ERMU at 763.441.2020 to schedule an
appointment.
Thank you,
Elk River Municipal Utilities Water Department
217
Elk River
Municipal Utilities
BACKFLOW DEVICE TESTING NOTICE
As part of ERMU's Residential Cross Connection
Control Program and per Minnesota Plumbing Code
Parts 603.2.23 through 603.5.23.4, an ERMU water
representative has tested your irrigation system's
pressure vacuum breaker backflow prevention assembly,
Located on the side of your house. This program was
created to identify and help eliminate potential sources
of contamination entering the public water system
and/or the water inside your home. This test is a
free service offered to our residential
customers. If you have questions,❑ �0
please contact us at 763.441.2020, visit
ERMUMN.COM, or simply scan the QR:
code for detailed program information.
TEST RESULTS
PASS - No additional action required at this time.
FAIL - An ERMU customer service representative
will contact you with next steps.
NOT TESTED - call ERMU at 763.441.2020 to
schedule an appointment.
NOTES